It was during one of those random late-night calls with my uncle—the kind where the conversation wanders from football scores to why plantain is getting expensive again—when he said something that stopped me cold:
> “They’ve arrested 15 guys at Manso Adubia. Galamsey boys. And they found weapons too.”
I just sat there. Mouth half-open. Not shocked exactly, but heavy. Because I’ve heard stories about illegal mining before—seen the headlines, watched the drone videos of muddy rivers and destroyed forests. But when it hits close to home? That’s when it stops feeling like just “news” and starts feeling real.
-Manso Adubia Isn’t Just a Name
Here’s the thing—Manso Adubia isn’t some mysterious place in a documentary. It’s real Ghana. Real people. Real families.
My friend Lydia’s grandma lives just a few minutes from there. I’ve passed through the area on a trotro. I’ve seen the red earth, the quiet farms, the children playing barefoot in the dust.
So when I read that an anti-galamsey operation led to 15 arrests—and that guns were seized—it didn’t feel like a victory. It felt like grief.
Because behind every headline like this is a deeper, messier story we don’t like to talk about. One where survival clashes with morality. Where poverty drives people to desperate choices. Where the system keeps looking away until the earth gives up.
-Not Just Miners—Men with Weapons
Now let’s talk about the scary part—weapons.
This wasn’t just some ragtag group with shovels and headlamps. According to the reports, actual firearms were recovered during the raid. Think about that for a second.
Illegal mining is bad enough. But when people start arming themselves to protect it? That’s a whole new level of danger. That’s no longer just an environmental issue. That’s security. That’s fear.
And I don’t know about you, but I can’t help but wonder—how long have they had these weapons? Who gave them access? And what happens to the next group that doesn’t get caught in time?
-The Galamsey Cycle No One Wants to Break
In my experience, most people don’t wake up wanting to destroy rivers or fight soldiers. But when jobs are scarce and mouths need feeding, morals get blurry. And when you see your neighbor cashing out on gold dust while you’re still hustling for 50 cedis a day, you start thinking, “Maybe I should try it too.”
I could be wrong, but I think we’ve failed to face the root cause of galamsey. It’s not just greed. It’s not just lawlessness. It’s also lack of options. Lack of trust in leadership. Lack of vision for what rural Ghana can become.
So yeah, we can keep doing raids. Keep arresting the miners. But are we fixing the machine that keeps churning out more?
-So… What Now?
This is the part where I usually try to land on some hopeful note. But honestly? I don’t have all the answers.
All I know is:
A town I care about just got dragged into the news—for all the wrong reasons.
Fifteen men are now behind bars.
And there are probably fifteen more waiting to take their place.
Because unless something really changes—unless we stop treating illegal mining like a side effect and start treating it like the symptom of a sick system—this cycle’s going to keep spinning.
A Final Thought
What if, one day, the people of Manso Adubia became known for something more than galamsey?
What if kids growing up there saw opportunity outside of the earth?
What if we cared enough to turn these headlines into hard conversations—and then into action?
I don’t know. Maybe I’m being too idealistic.
But honestly?
I’d rather believe in the possibility of change than get used to hearing about guns and gold in places that should be safe.
Just something to think about next time you scroll past one of those “15 arrested” headlines.
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